ANIMAL CARCASS SUPPORT FRAME AND DRESSING METHOD

Abstract: An animal carcass support frame for holding and positioning an animal carcass during operations thereon suspends the carcass in an inverted position from the front and rear hocks of the carcass. The frame comprises means to raise and/or lower the front and rear parts of the carcass. A dressing system is described comprising the frame and an industrial robot comprising a robotic arm equipped with a cutting tool for dressing the carcass and programmed to carry out dressing operations on the carcass. Also disclosed is a cutting tool for equipping to a robotic arm of an industrial robot, to be manipulated by the robot.

Description: ANIMAL CARCASS SUPPORT FRAME AND DRESSING METHOD FIELD OF INVENTION The invention comprises an animal carcass support frame and dressing method. BACKGROUND ART Currently in a meat works animal carcasses are dressed manually by meat workers, which is labour intensive. Further mechanisation of the dressing process is inhibited by the fact that no one animal carcass is identical in size and shape to another, and moreover in a conventional meat works chain carcasses are suspended from above in a way that allows for a relatively large amount of movement of the carcass so that a particular point on each carcass proceeding along the chain, such as the point at which the Y-cut is begun, will never be in the same position from one carcass to the next. SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention provides a frame which supports a carcass and which presents it in a uniform way. The frame of the invention may be used to present a carcass uniformly to different machines along a processing chain or in different ways to a stationary dressing machine, such as a robotic arm equipped with various tools for example. The frame may hold the carcass to present it to each set of tools at a processing station so that a number of operations can be carried out at the same station. The frame of the invention allows for the orientation or position of the carcass to be determined or maintained or altered with respect to the frame and hence with respect to other devices or objects. The invention also provides a carcass dressing method using an industrial robot. In broad terms in one aspect of the invention comprises an animal carcass support frame for holding and positioning an animal carcass during operations thereon, comprising a front frame part comprising means to suspend the carcass in an inverted position from the front hocks of the carcass and a neck support part to support the inverted carcass below the neck or shoulders, a rear rame part comprising means to suspend the rear hocks of the carcass, and means to move the rear and/or front frame parts relative to one another to raise and/or lower the rear part of the carcass relative to the front part of the carcass or the front part of the carcass relative to the rear part of the carcass. Preferably the rear frame part is pivotally mounted to the front frame part along a substantially horizontal axis for pivotal movement to raise and lower the rear frame part relative to the front frame part. In broad terms in another aspect the invention comprises an animal carcass support frame as described together with an industrial robot comprising a robotic arm equipped with a cutting tool for dressing the carcass and programmed to carry out dressing operations on the carcass. Preferably the robot is programmed to carry out at least the front Y-cut down the front legs and chest of the carcass. The invention also comprises a cutting tool for equipping to a robotic arm of an industrial robot, the cutting tool being manipulatable and operable under control of the industrial robot, comprising two parallel adjacent cutting blades reciprocally movable in the same plane each beside the other and a motor which drives the cutting blades, the cutting blades and motor being formed as a unit attachable to the robot arm, and means to attach the cutting tool to the robot arm. In broad terms in a further aspect the invention comprises a method of dressing a carcass comprising suspending the carcass in an inverted position from the front and rear hocks of the carcass, and carrying out dressing operations on the carcass by an industrial robot comprising a robotic arm equipped with a cutting tool for dressing the carcass. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of an example, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of frame of the invention, Figs 2A and 2B show the preferred form frame of Fig. 1 in a forward position, Figs 3A and 3B show the preferred form frame in an intermediate position, Figs 4A and 4B show the preferred form frame in a rear position, Fig. 5 shows a robotic arm of an industrial robot making a front Y-cut on a carcass suspended in inverted position, and Fig. 6 shows a preferred form cutting tool of the invention for manipulation by an industrial robot. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Fi 3 1 to 4, the frame includes a front part which comprises a top transverse member 1 to which the carcass's front hocks are held by suitable clamps or spikes for exam; e, or other means for holding the front hocks of the carcass. There are two downwardly extending members 2a and 2b on either side and a lower transverse member 3 which forms a neck support part of the frame to support a carcass behind the neck or shoulders. The neck support member 3 is carried by vertical members 4a and 4b telescopically mounted in the members 2a and 2b and controlled by hydraulic rams or similar to raise and lower the neck support part 3. A rear frame part comprises a top transverse member 5 to which the carcass's rear hocks are held, again by suitable clamps or spikes or similar, which is pivotally connected to the front freune part at pivot points 7. Movement of the rear frame part is controlled by the hydraulic or pneumatic ram 8. In use of the frame to support a carcass during dressing operations on the carcass, the front hocks of a carcass are first attached to the top transverse member 1 and the rear hocks of a carcass are attached to the top transverse member 5. The freune is then used to position the carcass as desired. For example, the rear frame part may be elevated by the ram 8 to the position shown in Figs 2A and 2B to aid the draining of blood from the neck cut and sticking. The rear frame part may then be dropped to the position shown in Fig. 3A and 3B so that the stomach contents do not drain out of the oesophagus. After the oe_*.'--'hagus is clipped, the rear frame part may be raised to the in __-ne'.-,ate position shown in Figs. 4A and 4B so that the carcass brisket region is horizontal. At this stage the front Y- cut may be carried out (see Fig. 5), the brisket flaps pulled back and the neck, shoulders and forelegs cleared. In this position further operations may be carried out including hock removal, belly operations, rear Y cutting and splitting of the brisket flap. Fig. 5 shows the preferred form frame together with an industrial robot comprising a robotic arm 10. The robotic arm is shown as a roof or ceiling mounted robotic arm or the arm 10 may be mounted from a beam above, but the robot may be of any suitable type such as a robot which stands on the floor, comprising two or more robot arms for example. The robot is used to make the dressing cuts in the carcass. The frame of the invention positions each carcass in a substantially identical position when compared to conventional means of suspending a carcass from a moving processing chain for example. Thus the point at which the robot starts a cut such as the front Y-cut shown in Fig. 5, is always in a similar spatial position. Fig. 5 shows the robotic arm 10 mounting a cutting tool 11 on the end thereof comprising cutting blades 12 making the front Y-cut down the front legs and chest of the carcass. The robot may be programmed to make other dressing cuts and Fig. 5 shows the robot arm making the front Y-cut by way of example. ig. 6 shows a preferred form cutting tool. The tool comprises two parallel adjacent cutting blades 13 and a motor within the cutting tool body unit 14 which drives the cutting blades 13. The motor may be connected to the cutting blades through a gearbox within the cutting tool body unit 14. The motor is controlled by the robot. When the motor is operated, the cutting blades 13 reciprocate back and forth together in a cutting action. In the preferred form the cutting blades move with a rotary reciprocal action as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 6. This has been found most effective for cutting through the pelt of an animal carcass. It is also preferred that the cutting blades 13 are cranked as shown, comprising a first cutting edge portion 13a and a second cutting edge portion 13b which has shark tooth shaped teeth. The shark tooth teeth point back towards the first blade portion 13a as shown. In use the robot having the cutting tool of Fig. 6 mounted to the end of the robotic arm inserts the cutting tool through an initial puncture made through the pelt of the carcass. The robot then energises the motor to cause the cutting blades 13 to operate, and the robot arm moves the cutting tool upwardly to make for example the front Y-cut as shown in Fig. 5. In the preferred form cutting tool the motor is an air motor but it could alternatively be an electric or hydraulic motor for example. The foregoing describes the invention including a preferred form thereof. Alterations and modifications as will be obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be incorporated in the scope hereof as defined in the following claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An animal carcass support frame for holding and positioning an animal carcass during operations thereon, comprising a front frame part comprising means to suspend the carcass in an inverted position from the front hocks of the carcass and a neck support part to support the inverted carcass below the neck or shoulders, a rear frame part comprising means to suspend the rear hocks of the carcass, and means to move the rear and/or front frame parts relative to one another to raise and/or lower the rear part of the carcass relative to the front part of the carcass or the front part of the carcass relative to the rear part of the carcass. 2. An animal carcass support frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear frame part is pivotally mounted to the front frame part along a substantially horizontal axis for pivotal movement to raise and lower the rear frame part relative to the front frame part. 3. An animal carcass support frame as claimed in either one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the front frame part comprises an upper transverse member and means on said upper member to hold the front hocks of the carcass and members extending downwardly on either side from the upper transverse member and wherein said neck support part bridges the lower ends of said downward members on either side. 4. An animal carcass support frame as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the neck support part is raisable and/or lowerable to raise and/or lower the front part of the carcass on the front frame part from below the neck or shoulders thereof. 5. An animal carcass support frame as claimed in any one of claims 2, 3 and 4 when dependent directly or indirectly on claim 2, wherein pivotal movement of the rear frame part is actuated by a hydraulic or pneumatic ram. 6. An animal carcass support frame for holding and positioning a carcass substantially as illustrated in Figs 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings and described herein with reference thereto. 7. An animal carcass support frame as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, together with an industrial robot comprising a robotic arm equipped with a cutting tool for dressing the carcass and programmed to carry out dressing operations on the carcass. 8. An animal carcass support frame and industrial robot as claimed in claim 7, wherein the robot is programmed to carry out at least the front Y-cut down the front legs and chest of the carcass. 9. An animal carcass support frame and industrial robot as claimed in either one of claims 7 and 8, wherein the robotic arm is equipped with a cutting tool comprising two parallel, adjacent cutting blades reciprocally movable in the same plane each beside the other, and a motor under control of the robot which drives the cutting blades during cutting operations. 10. An animal carcass support frame and industrial robot as claimed in claim 9, wherein the cutting blades are reciprocally movable in the same plane beside each other with a rotary action. 11. A cutting tool for equipping to a robotic arm of an industrial robot, the cutting tool being manipulatable and operable under control of the industrial robot, comprising two parallel adjacent cutting blades reciprocally movable in the same plane each beside the other and a motor which drives the cutting blades, the cutting blades and motor being formed as a unit attachable to the robot arm, and means to attach the cutting tool to the robot arm. 12. A cutting tool as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cutting blades are reciprocally movable in the same plane beside each other with a rotary action. 13. A cutting tool as claimed in either one of claims 11 and 12, wherein the cutting blades each comprise a first blade portion providing a first part of the cutting edge of the cutting blade and a second blade portion cranked relative to the first blade portion and providing a second part of the cutting edge of the cutting blade. 14. A cutting tool as claimed in claim 13, wherein said second blade portion of each cutting blade is formed with a shark tooth cutting edge, the teeth of which point back towards the first blade portion of the cutting blade. 15. A cutting tool as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the motor which drives the cutting blades is an air motor. 16. A cutting tool for equipping to a robotic arm of an industrial robot, substantially as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings and described herein with reference thereto. 17. A method of dressing a carcass comprising suspending the carcass in an inverted position from the front and rear hocks of the carcass, and carrying out dressing operations on the carcass by an industrial robot comprising a robotic arm equipped with a cutting tool for dressing the carcass. 18. A method as claimed in claim 17, including carrying out a Y-cut down the front legs and chest of the carcass by said industrial robot. 19. A method as claimed in either one of claims 17 and 18, wherein the robot is equipped with a cutting tool as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 16. 20. A method as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the carcass is suspended in said inverted position and is raised and lowered by a frame as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.

Inventors: BROOKING GREG, MACKAY ROD FRANCIS, MALONE DENIS, TAYLOR MALCOLM GEOFFREY, WONG RICHARD, BROOKING, GREG, MACKAY, ROD, FRANCIS, MALONE, DENIS, TAYLOR, MALCOLM, GEOFFREY, WONG, RICHARD
Applicants: BROOKING GREG, MACKAY ROD FRANCIS, MALONE DENIS, NEW ZEALAND MEAT RESEARCH & DE, TAYLOR MALCOLM GEOFFREY, WONG RICHARD, BROOKING, GREG, MACKAY, ROD, FRANCIS, MALONE, DENIS, NEW ZEALAND MEAT RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, TAYLOR, MALCOLM, GEOFFREY, WONG, RICHARD
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A22B5
IPC codes: A22B5